Kilbirnie Early Learners

Where play is learning

A positive and stimulating educational and developmental experience where your child can have fun and feel safe in the care of our dedicated staff

1 to 5 years

Based in Kilbirnie, Wellington, we are licenced for the care and education of 20 children aged 1 to 5 years, Monday to Friday 8.30am – 2.30pm

20 hours ECE

Parent donations can be supplemented by 20 hours ECE funding provided by the Ministry of Education for 3 and 4 year old children

Meet the Team

A QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TEACHING TEAM

Our Centre teachers provide children with a nurturing environment as they take their first steps into the wider world. This is often the important first start for young children as they enter their early childhood educational experience.

Teachers form strong, reciprocal and respectful relationships with each family, supporting the children’s sense of well being and belonging. There are opportunities for parents/whānau to be involved in their children’s learning, and their aspirations for their child are acknowledged in the learning programme.

Our full-time teachers are experienced, fully qualified and certificated early childhood educators and have experience with children and their families in kindergartens, other centres and language nests. Our teachers undertake regular professional development to ensure current theories and changes in the sector are supporting their professional practice.

FELICITY GILTRAP

PART-TIME TEACHER

Felicity trained as a nanny and has worked with children for a number of years in a variety of roles in the Wellington area. She gained a certificate as a Family day care – caregiver from the Open Polytechnic when her first child was young and she looked after children, her own and others in her own home for a number of years.

Felicity is a trained musician and has a love of music and bringing the joy of music to young children. She has an interest in ‘brain-gym’ and pre-school physical development and gained a lot of experience in this area during her years as a pre-school music and movement teacher.

Felicity has worked at the Centre as a reliever for 5 years and has recently joined the team on a permanent basis.

She is married to Rob, has two teenage children and a lovely ginger cat.

JANNIE NEHEMIA

SENIOR TEACHER

Jannie has a long career in Early Childhood Education. She trained in Wellington, graduating as a Kindergarten Teacher with a Kindergarten Diploma Qualification.

She has worked in kindergartens, both as a Teacher and Head Teacher. Jannie is married to Nicky and has two sons and two grandchildren.

Jannie has worked at the Centre since its inception. She says there have been many changes in the early childhood sector over the years but the profession still offers lots of challenges and enjoyment for her. She thoroughly enjoys relating to the families in the Centre and being involved in the community.

ISABEL BOYES

TEACHER

Isabel completed her Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching in 2006. She also holds a BA in History, both from Victoria University in Wellington.

Her teaching experience began at Playcentre with her own children. She then spent four years working in centres for Group Special Education, while also working as a relieving teacher, before obtaining her Graduate Diploma. Isabel began teaching at the Centre in 2007.

Isabel is married to Craig. They have three children.

TIRA O’HARA

ASSISTANT HEAD TEACHER

Tira has worked as an early childhood teacher since 1990. She trained at Wellington Teachers College in Karori and has an Early Childhood Teaching Diploma. Tira became Assistant Head Teacher with the Centre in 2005.

Tira is married with three children and two grand daughters. She enjoys her time at the Centre and hopes to continue learning and working with the children and whānau of Kilbirnie Early Learners.

Our Committee

A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Centre is an Incorporated Society, determined by a Constitution, which allows for a management committee made up of parents and the staff. The Committee is elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee is responsible for financial management, grants, marketing, aspects of administration and other special projects.

The Committee is supported by two paid part-time staff: Helen Baxter is our Manager and Kathleen Reece is our Financial Administrator. Parents can volunteer for other jobs, such as clerical, maintenance, washing, working bees etc.

Gallery

HAVE A LOOK

New Families

WHAT TO EXPECT

During each day children are engaged in educational experiences that promote positive learning outcomes, self-choice learning experiences, and mat times for morning tea and lunch with the teachers. The outdoor play areas at the centre include a large, safe, shaded playground and a sustainable edible garden.

The Centre is open during the school holidays, closes at the end of the last primary school term before Christmas and re-opens again in mid January. The Centre is closed on public holidays.

A nutritious morning tea and lunch (and an afternoon snack if your child attends till 2.30 pm) in a named box and drink bottle

A coat and hat on cold days, or a sunhat and sunscreen on sunny days

A change of clothes (named please!)

Disposable nappies and wet wipes if your child is in nappies.

N.B. Dress your child in old clothes as there is lots of messy play on offer!

Before your child’s first day, we recommend that you visit the Centre with your child. We aim to create a warm friendly environment where your child feels safe and secure when being left.

Parents/whānau may also need to spend time with your child to help them settle in during the first few times they attend. The Senior Teacher is always happy to discuss ways of settling that might work best for your child.

Costs

20 Hours ECE for 3 and 4 year oldsKilbirnie Early Learners offers the 20 Hours ECE funding scheme. This means that parents of 3 and 4 year old children have the option to attest hours to the Centre, up to a total of 20 hours per week. As a result, the Centre receives 20 Hours ECE funding from the Ministry of Education for those hours.

Children under 3 years oldFee per hour is $6.30.

Children aged 3 or 4 years oldFor families attesting 20 Hours ECE to the Centre, no fees are charged, but a donation of $2.70 per attested hour is recommended in order for the Centre to continue to provide a high quality learning environment and a full complement of qualified teachers.

A fee of $6.30 per hour is charged for any non-attested hours.
For families NOT attesting 20 Hours ECE to the Centre, the fee charged is $6.30 per hour.

Fundraising levyAll families are also charged $3.00 per day in lieu of involvement in fundraising activities.

N.B. All amounts are GST inclusive.

Work and Income NZ Childcare SubsidySome families may also be eligible for a Childcare Subsidy from Work and Income to assist with payment of fees. The subsidy rate depends on the household income.

Please talk to the Manager or Senior Teacher if you require further information on eligibility for the Ministry of Education’s 20 Hours ECE funding or Work and Income Childcare Subsidy.

We welcome visits to Kilbirnie Early Learners. If you are interested in enrolling your child at the Centre, please email the Centre for an enrolment form and more information, kilbirnieearlylearners@xtra.co.nz

Testimonials

OUR PARENTS HAVE THEIR SAY

Happy to go to the Centre, usually settles quickly at drop off, talks about the teachers and his friends fondly, teachers were my son’s best friends, now comfortable and confident with them all. Loves the Centre, misses it when he is not there, knows the teachers well.

Wonderful community based childcare centre; caring,
supportive and nurturing teachers; wide range of stimulating
and fun activities which are always changing; great outdoor
space which can be used in all seasons. Overall a terrific
community based centre. We love it.

Teachers always provide feedback whenever asked, or sometimes without prompt. Always plenty of debrief time to see how the day went. Most of the time I find it best talking to the teachers while they are at the table with the children.

Love the upgraded outdoor area. There is a great range of activities. Table top activities are changed regularly. It’s awesome, all weather capable.

The Centre

A POSITIVE EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL EXPERIENCE

Established in 1992, Kilbirnie Early Learners is a non-profit, community based and purpose built early childhood education service in Wellington. The Centre provides a friendly, nurturing and vibrant environment which strongly reflects our multicultural community.

Our educational programme is planned in conjunction with the Ministry of Education curriculum, Te Whāriki. This forms the foundation of our day to day practice, activities and interactions with the children/tamariki, and is designed to support and challenge children during their important early years.

Throughout their time at Kilbirnie Early Learners children are given opportunities to express themselves creatively, physically, mentally, emotionally, culturally and spiritually.

We support children’s development by providing learning experiences that pertain to the children’s interests and strengths, dispositions, language, and include a culturally appropriate curriculum, which is conducive to the Early Childhood Curriculum.

These are designed to stimulate and respond to the children’s interests, with age-appropriate activities such as art experiences, Te Reo Māori, waiata, collage, puzzles, water play, and stories. These activities in turn promote children’s autonomy, early literacy and numeracy skills, as well as physical confidence and skills for life.

Our Philosophy

To provide a High Quality Early Childhood Education Programme.
To work in Partnership with Parents/Whānau.
To carry out Assessment and Evaluation to ensure Quality.
To ensure Fairness and Equity for all children, parents/whānau and teachers.

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At this Centre we believe that children/tamariki learn best through a “self-choice” approach to teaching and learning. The programme is based on Te Whāriki (early childhood education curriculum). Children/tamariki are supported to take responsibility for their own learning (Ako). Children/tamariki learn best when their health and well-being (Mana Atua) is nurtured, they have a sense of belonging (Mana Whenua), and they are supported to contribute, through active exploration, by observing and by imitating others. They learn through interaction and communication (Mana Reo) with their peers.

We endeavour to provide a learning environment that supports all children’s individual interests through a variety of curriculum mediums. This is inclusive of age, gender, culture and social aspects (notice, recognise, respond and revisit).

We believe that shared group learning experiences hold valuable learning opportunities and possibilities for all children. Therefore we support children to learn in a group setting when appropriate.

Limits and guidelines are set at the Centre in relation to the children’s behaviour to ensure that the children are kept safe from harm. We aim to be fair and consistent in our approach to helping children to develop social competence.

Our curriculum will respect and support the rights of each child to be confident in their own culture. We will embrace the Treaty of Waitangi and embed this into our learning programme.

The curriculum is designed to promote a feeling of partnership between Fetu Taiala, parents/whānau and children to provide an educational environment that supports holistic development of all children.

All parents/ whānau will feel their contribution is valued and that they have a voice about their children’s learning. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge parent/whānau aspirations for their children/tamariki.

Te ao Maori concepts are embedded in all aspects of the puna reo. The curriculum supports children’s learning in relation to centre priorities. Te Reo, Tikanga and protocols underpin all areas of the curriculum and promote inclusive practice.

• Staff and parents share a philosophy and commitment to inclusive education that includes particular beliefs and values based on social justice, fairness and human rights

The Centre programme is planned in conjunction with the national early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, the legal document on which our Centre is licensed. This forms the foundation of our day to day practice, activities and interactions with the children/tamariki. Children learn through active exploration and self-directed play.

Our programme matches the needs of the children. This begins with noticing, recognizing and responding to the children’s interests and working from that point. Together, children and teachers decide which direction the learning will take to create a unique environment for our tamariki.

Group play and socialization is promoted. Children have access to a wide range of fun and challenging activities, materials and equipment that extend children’s interests and learning. During the day the children are given the time and space for a natural progression through self discovery and experimentation, enhancing their emotional, cognitive, and physical well being. Children are formally observed on a regular basis. These observations are recorded and contribute to each child’s individual profile book.

At our Centre we help children acquire the skills needed for school. It is these skills that will enable the children to settle into the primary school environment with ease.

Copies of our latest Education Review Office report (2014) are available at the Centre or on the ERO website.

Highlights include:

The philosophy of children learning most effectively through a ‘self-choice’ approach is very evident in practice.

Literacy is an integral part of the programme with children reading and writing independently and supported by teachers.

Children are well engaged in a wide range of learning experiences. A calm, settled atmosphere prevails.

The environment is well organised and a wide range of resources is easily accessed by children.

Planned development of the outdoor area has begun with the laying of new safety matting.

There is a strong focus on partnership with parents and good relationships are evident.

The experienced, well-established teaching team work together collaboratively and know the children and their families well.

We are fortunate in New Zealand that the government provides funding to help cover teachers’ salaries and some of the general day-to-day running costs of the Centre. Fees and community grants are necessary however, in order for us to provide high quality resources, replace equipment and materials, develop grounds and buildings and maintain the high standard of care and education that we are so proud of.

The Centre is grateful to Apex Digital for their support in the development of this website and the ongoing support of Voltz for maintaining it.